Nathan Chen places his gold medal around his mother’s neck in their first reunion since the Olympics

February 22, 2022

Olympic figure skater Nathan Chen was surprised by his mother Hetty Wang during his appearance on Tuesday’s episode of NBC’s “Today” show, during which he thanked her for supporting him along his journey to becoming an Olympic champion.

Wang surprised Chen by walking on set with a tray of pizza, only to have Chen place his gold medal around her neck. According to Today, the two had not seen each other since the Olympics.

Chen explained that he placed the medal around his mother’s neck because it “largely” belongs to Wang, as she had been there to support Chen’s skating career since he was 3 years old.

“She’s been with me every single step of the way, and no way I would ever make it to where I am now without her support,” Chen told the hosts of “The Today Show.”

His mother explained that although she was “nervous” about his competitions, she knew what to expect of his performance and that she believed in him.

When asked how his mother sacrificed to help him achieve his Olympic dreams, the 22-year-old explained that after he had switched to his current coach in 2012, his mother would drive him from Utah to California whenever he needed to train.

The mother and son duo eventually moved to Lake Arrowhead, California, so Chen could focus on training closer to his coach, reported Today.

Chen won two medals at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, including a gold in the men’s single figure skating event and a silver medal in the team event. He became the first Asian American male figure skater to win a gold medal at the Olympics.

Feature Image via Today

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